Narasimhan, Naidu discuss State scenario

VIJAYAWADA, ANDHRA PRADESH, 22/04/2018: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu presenting a memento to Governor ESL Narasimhan, who visited Vijayawada on Sunday. Photo: arranged

VIJAYAWADA, ANDHRA PRADESH, 22/04/2018: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu presenting a memento to Governor ESL Narasimhan, who visited Vijayawada on Sunday. Photo: arranged   | Photo Credit: ARRANGED

Meet comes against backdrop of widening rift between State, Centre

In a 45-minute interaction which will have far-reaching political implications, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu discussed the recent developments at a city hotel on Sunday.

A wide range of issues including the circumstances that led to Mr. Naidu’s “Dharma Porata Deeksha” against the denial of the Special Category Status, the public meeting to be organised by the State government in Tirupati on April 30 and the remarks Telugu Desam Party leaders had been making against Prime Minister Narendra Modi were said to have been discussed.

Mr. Naidu reportedly took his government’s stand on the issues to the Governor’s notice.

The meeting assumes significance in the context of the widening rift between the Central and the State governments over the implementation of the Reorganisation Act and assurances given in the Rajya Sabha at the time of bifurcation and the argument raised in the Assembly and at other forums by Mr. Naidu and Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu that the Centre was discriminating against the States in the devolution of funds and other matters.

‘A courtesy call’

An official release said the Chief Minister’s was a courtesy call.